Slicing machine



Sept. 15, 1925. 1,553,864

P. J. LUCEY SLICING MACHINE Filed April 29, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 15, 1925. 1,553,864

' P. J. LUCEY SLICING MACHINE Filed April 29, 1922 3 Sheets-Swat 2 y as Sept. 15, 1925.

P. J. LUCEY SLICING MACHINE Filed April 29 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK J. LUCEY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO LUCEY SLICING MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SLICING MACHINE.

Application filed April 29, 1922. Serial 1T0. 557,367.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK J LUGEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of South Bend, county of St.

5 Joseph, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slicing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful 1 improvements in slicing machines, and more particularly to a power driven slicing ma.- chine of the type in which a table reciprocates to and fro along the side of a rotary knife and a material holder or feed plate is 1 automatically slidable on said table toward the knife.

The main objects of my invention are, First, to provide means for properly deflecting or guiding the sliced material away from the knife, and without permitting portions of the slices or particles of material to wedge in between the deflector and the knife thereby creating waste; second, to provide means co-operating with the table and the feed plate for holding the material with increasing firmness as it is advanced toward the knife during the slicing operation; third, to provide means for automatically disconnecting the driving motor and to lock the machine in an inoperative position when the feed plate has completed its limit of feed; fourth, to provide means for automatically displaying a signal when said feed plate has reached its limit of feed, and to retain said signal displayed until positive action is taken; fifth, to provide a universally movable operating handle for conveniently and readily moving the feed plate.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side view of the upper part of a slicing machine with my improvements mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view;

ig. 4 is a sectional view along line 44 of Fig. 2, showing the universally movable handle for releasing the driving mechanism of the feed plate; v

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, showing the circuit breaking means, and the curved and elevated ridges on the corrugated plate;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing the deflector engaging in a groove provided in the knife;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view of the modified from, showing the deflector engaging the knife inward of a defiectin ridge formed on the convex side of the kni e;

. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view showing the mechanism for locking the reciprocating table when the feed plate has reached its limit of feed;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing the driving motor with driving connections and electric switches; and

Fig. 10 is a diagramatic view of the electric circuits and elements.

In the drawings I have shown 111 improvements applied to a slicing machine of well known construction, having a rotary knife 15 mounted on a housing 16 extendingupward from the base 17 of the machine, and a curved guard 18 and a round wire guard 19 are provided for said knife. The machine is also provided with the usual material tray 20 and back plate 21.

In the machines now on the market the means for deflecting the material from the knife as it is being sliced, generally consists of a curved shield, the edge of which is placed close to the convex side of the knife,

but particles of the sliced material generally get between said convex side of the knife and the adjacent edge of the shield thereby creating unnecessary waste and soil. and the thin slices are not properly deflected and are frequently stopped and broken. Iovercome these defects by providing means on the convex side of the knife, which positively guides the sliced material onto the outer face of said deflecting means. I have shown this means in Fig. 6 in the form of a roove 23 extending around the convex side of the knife, just inside of the beveled edge.

this groove I set the forward edge of the shield or deflector, 24 so that the forward beyond the forward portion 26' of the deflector 24, thereby causing the sliced ma- .terial to be positively guided from the beveled edge onto theouter face of said In many of the slicing machines now in use the reciprocating table has been provided with a corrugated plate adjacent the rotary knife to firmly grip the lower face of the'material advanced by the feed plate, van'd'to'prevent said material from being shifted away from the knife while said knife engages the material, said shifting of material causing uneven slices, however such corrugated plates do not prove effective because the upper edges of the ridges on the plate are no higher than the usual top of the main table, and after usage the portions of the ridges near the knife wear down even lower than the back portions.

It is my object to provide the reciprocating table with a corrugated plate which is actually effective and which will hold the material rigidly in position with increasing 'firmness as the material approaches the knife side of the table 30. This I accomplish by providing my table 30 with a cor- 'rugated plate 31 having ridges 32, which 7 and further b plate thus provide means which co-operate.

the grooves between said ridges 32, with in creased effectiveness, and will also be urged toward the knife by the curvature of said ridges, as the material is advanced toward the knife edge of the table by said feed plate. Said curved and elevated ridges with the corresponding grooves on said with the material holder comprising the press bar 35 and-its uprights 36, for holding or gripping the material with increased firmness as it approaches the table edge,

thereby producing slices of even thickness. The slicing means thus operates to out even slices, while the deflecting means co-operates therewith to move said slices smoothly and evenly from the knife onto the tray or receptacle.

I further provide my machine with means arranged on the reciprocating table and on the feed plate for automatically opening the electric circuit of the driving motor andsimultaneously closing a .circuit through a specially provided signal light, when the feed plate has reached its limit of feed, and

in addition also provideineans on said table and plate for automatically locking the table against-movement until the feed plate has been retracted. v

The co-operating means for opening the motor circuit comprises a curvedshoulder or cam 38 (see Fig. 3) formed by cutting a notch on the side bar 39 of the feed plate,

and the plunger 40 mounted in a pocket provided in the-side flange 41 of the table, said plunger being normally retracted by a spring 42 (see Fig. 5) but moved. outward by said cam 38 of the feed plate just as'said feed plate reaches its extreme limit of feed; and as the reciprocating table 30 moves over its guide bars 43 and 43', along side the rotating knife 15, to its limitof reciprocation, the outer head 44 of plunger 40 will engage the push button 45 of the bridge or bar which connects and simultaneously actuates the 3-way switch 46 of the conductor 47 leading to the driving motor, to open said circuit and cut out said motor, and actuates the 3-way switch 48 of the circuit 49 for the j signal light 50, to close said circuit and illuminate the signal light.

The electric circuits and elements that are especially suitable for my purpose, I have illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 10, and

have indicated in part in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9. 5

This circuit comprises a suitable feed .wire or conductor 51, leading from any suitable source of power, and provided with asuitable switch 52 to cut out or throw-in the.

driving motor 53. The conductor 51 leads to a 3-way switch 56 connected with the conductors 57 and 57, which are connected with the 3-way switch 46 of the motor circuit 47, and the conductor 51- leads from said conductor 51 to a 3-way switch 58 connected with conductors 59 and 59' which are in turn connected with the 3-way switch 48 of the circuit'49 of the signal light 50.

A push button 55 is provided on a bridge A or bar which connects and simultaneously actuates the switches 56 and 58, in a manner like the bridge bar and its attached button 45 actuates the Switches 46 and 48. The

signal light circuit 49 is connected with the, return conductor or circuit 61 leading from the motor 53 to the source of electric power (not shown). The motor 53 drives the ma chine through the customary main drive shaft 62 detachably mounted in the sleeve 63 extending from the base 17 by means of pinion 64 keyed on the motor shaft 65, said pinion engaging an internal gear 66 of the fly-wheel 67 the hub 68 of which is fastened on the main shaft 62, an opening 69 being provided on the fly-wheel for convenirnt attachment of a hand crank if de sire During operation, when the feed plate 34 has reached its limit. of feed, that is, has reached the end of the table adjacent the knife, and the cam 38 has pushed .out.tl1e head 44 of plunger 40, as above described, and as is best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, then when the table reaches the end of its travel adjacent the knife, the head 44 of the extending plunger 40 presses the button 45 with its bridge bar inward and actuates the 3-way switches 46 and 48. Consideringthe main switch 52 closed and the other switches placed as indicated in Fig. 10, the motor circuit will be closed with the motor driving the machine, while the light circuit is open; the depression of button 45 then moves the 3-way switches 46 and 48 to their succeeding positions of movement, whereby switch 46 moves from conductor 57 into engagement with conductor 57', and switch 48 moves from conductor 59' to conductor 59, thus openingfthe' motor circuit 57 by reason of the position of switch 56, and closing the light circuit through conductor 59 by reason of the position of switch 58. This open or inoperative position of the motor and the closed or operative position of the light will be retained until the 3-way switches 56 and 58, at the front of the machine, are positively actuated and moved into their next positions by depression of the push button 55, thereby again reversing the switches to close the motor circuit and open the light circuit.

My means for looking .or retaining the table in its extreme position of travel comprises a hook 71 provided at the end of a bar 72 fastened on the machine base 17 with screws 73, or any suitableameans, said locking-means further comprises a pawl 74 slidably mounted in a. pocket provided in an enlarged outer end 75 of a curved lever 76 which is pivoted on a journal 77 provided on the end of a bracket 78 fastened on the reciprocating table 30 with screws7 9 or the like said pawl being urged outward in said pocket by a spring. 80 and being slidably retained in said pocket by a pin 81 passing through a slot in said pawl. A coil spring 82 is seated with its opposite ends in a pocket in said bracket 78 and-a pocket in ,aid lever, to urge the pawl end of the lever into retracted position; and a stop arm 83 and lug 84 are provided on said bracket to prevent'lever 76 from swinging too far in either direction. A bracket 85 is fastened on the feed plate 34 by means of screws or the like, and is provided with a short arm 86 and a long arm 87. hen the feed plate has reached its limit of feed during operation of the machine, the short arm 86 has passed the adjacent end 88 of lever 76 without actuating said lever, since said lever is normally tilted by spring 82, as shown in the full lines in Figs. 3 and 7, but the long arm 87 has engaged and moved said lever into operative position, as shown in dotted lines at the middle of Fig. 7 and as the reciprocating table then reaches its limit of travel past the knife, the pawl 74 will engage hook 71 on bar 72 and securely lock the table in this position. And when the feed plate has been moved backward by a positive manual operation the short arm 76 will engage end 88 of lever 76, which then extends straight over the table, as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 7 and will thereby tilt the lever and, release the pawl 74 from hook 71, enabling the table to reciprocate when next the circuit is closed and the electric power applied by depressing push button 55, asabove described.

It will readily be seen from the above description of the circuit breaking means that it fulfills a long felt wantinasmuclras it cuts off the driving power of the machine immediately when thefeed plate has reached its limit of feed thereby overcoming the objectionable features of the electric or power driven slicing machine that are in use at present, inasmuch as there is no means in the present machine to automatically cut off the power whenthe feed plate reaches its limit of feed, but that these machines continue to operate and consume current without slicing material or doing useful work. The locking mechanism above described further assures, in conjunction with the circuit breaking means, that the table and plate will be retained int his position until positive action is taken, as by moving the feed plate backward over the table.

My means for moving the feed plate on the table is provided with a universally movable handle .90, having a ballhead mounted in a spherical socket.member -91 attached to the machine, said ballhead having a fiat face 92 which engages a head 93 mounted on a,

rod 94 pivoted between the arms 95 of the bell crank lever 96 which is pivoted on a bracket 97 fastened on the feed plate 34, and carries on its other arm the halfnut 98 normally engaging the feed screw 99 which is'supported in the journal 77 and in a bracket 100 fastened on the table 30. The coil spring 101 is seated on the rod 94 in the pocket 102 providedin the feed plate, said spring bearing against said head 93 to retain the halfnut in active engagement with the feed screw. This universally movable handle provides means for conveniently and readily releasing the 'halfnut to move the feed plate in either position, forward or backward, since said handle may be actuated by a pressure from any direction, and it will always automatically return torelease position under influence of the spring 101 exerting pressure on the head 93 of the halfnut rod 94.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A slicing machine comprising in combination, a 'rotary knife, means for deflecting material sliced by said knife, and an annular ridge around the convex side of said knife extending beyond the forward edge of said deflector.

2. A corrugated plate for the reciprocating table of a slicinginachine, saidplate being provided with inclined ridges.

3. A corru ated plate mounted on the reciprocating table of a slicing machine, said plate being provided with ridges which are inclined from the rear to the forward end of said plate. 7

4:. A corrugated plate for the reciprocating table of a slicing machine, said plate being provided with ridges which are elevated at one end of said plate.

5. A corrugated plate for the reciprocating table of a slicing machine, said plate being provided with curved ridges.

6. A corrugated plate for the reciprocating table of'a slicing machine, said plate being provided with curved and inclined ridges.

7 In a slicing machine provided with a reciprocating table and a feed plate, co-

operating means including interengaging ridges and grooves provided on the adjacent faces on said reciprocating table and on said feed plate for holding. material in position-with increasing firmness as it approaches the edge of said table, said ridges being increased in height toward said edge. 8. In a slicing machine provided with a reciprocating table and a feed plate, grooves in the lower face of said feed plate'and 00-. operating means with inclined ridges on said table for preventing the material from shifting laterally. a 9. In a'slicing machine providedwith a reciprocating table and a feed plate, cooperating means including inclined ridges on said table and corresponding means on said feed plate for securely holding material in position at the edge of said table. n aslicing machine provided with 10. a reciprocating table and a feed plate, cooperatin means including grooves and curved rldges on said table and feed plate for holding material in position at the edgev of said table. c

11. In a slicing machine, the combination, with. the reciprocating table, the feed plate and a material holder thereon, of means on said table provided with ridges which incline toward the table edge, and corresponding grodves on said feed plate, said ridges and grooves co-operating with said material holder to hold material with increasing firmness as it approaches the table edge.

12. In a slicing machine, the combination,

with the reciprocating table, the feed plate and the material holder thereon, of a plate for said tableprovided with curved and inclined ridges, and co-operating grooves on the under side of said feed plate, said ridges and grooves co-operating-with said-holder to grip material with increased firmness as it' approaches the table edge.

13. In a slicing machine,'the combination, with the reciprocating table, the feed plate and a material holder th' ereon, of a member. mountable on said table and having ridges which are curved and elevated at the table edge, and grooves provided in the lower edge of the feed plate to engage said ridges and bring the top of said feed plate A closer to said ridges as it approaches the edge of the table.

14.- In a slicing machine, the combination with the reciprocating table, the feed plate and the rotary jknifefof a plate mounted on said table and provided withinclined ridges elevated adjacent said knife, and the feed plate being provided with means co-operating with saidridges to hold material with increased eflectiveness as it approaches said knife.

15. In a slicing machine, the combination, with the reciprocating table,'the feed plate and the rotary knife, of a plate mounted on said reciprocating table and provided with ridges equal to the length of feed and increasing in height towardsaid knife, and the feed plate being provided with grooves co-operating with said ridges to eflecteven slices of material fed by said plate.

16. Ina slicing machine havin a movable table .with a feed plate an driving means for said table, means actuated by said feed plate during movement over said table for automatically rendering said driving means inoperative. v

1'7. Ina sllcmg machine having a. movfor said table and plate; means for automatically rendering said driving means inoperative when said feed plate reaches a certain position on said table.

'18. In a. slicing machine having a'movable table; a feed plate, anddriving means for the machine; means actuated by the movement of said feed plate for "automatically rendering said-driving means inoperative when said feed plate has reached-its extreme limit of feed.

19. In a slicing machine having a reciprocating table, a feed plate, and a: power able table, a feed plate, and driving means suppl ving drive means: means on said machine for automatically rendering said power supplying means inoperative when said table and feed plate have reached certain positions.

20. A slicing machine comprising a reciprocating table: a feed plate: a driving motor and circuit therefor: and means on said table and plate for opening a switch in said motor circuit when the feed plate has reached its limit of feed.

' 21. A slicing machine comprising a movable table; a feed plate; a motor circuit for driving said machine: a cut-out switch for said circuit: and co-operating means on said table and plate for opening said switch when said table and plate have reached certain positions.

22. A slicing machine comprising a feed plate; power means for driving said machine: a visible signal: and means for automatically rendering said power means inoperative and said signal means operative when said plate reaches a certain position.

23. A slicing machine comprising a feed plate: a driving motor: an electric signaling means and circuit therefor; switches in said circuit: and means for automatically actuating said switches by the movement of said plate.

24. A slicing machine comprising a reciprocating table and a feed plate: a visible signal mounted on saidmachine: and means for automatically actuating said visible signal when said plate has reached its limit of feed.

25. A slicing machine comprising a reciprocating table and a feed plate: an electrlc signaling light mounted on said machine: a circuit for said light; and means actuated by said feed plate and table for closing said circuit and energizing said light.

26. A slicing machine comprising a feed plate: a driving motor: a signaling light: electric conductors for said motor and light: 3-way switches in said conductors: and means on said feed plate for automatically actuating said switches to cut-outsaid motor and illuminate said light..-

27. A slicing machine comprisinga feed plate: a driving motor: a signaling light: electric conductors for said motor and light: 3-way switches in said conductors: means for actuating saidswitches to throw-in said motor and cut-out said light. or to cut-out said motor and illuminatesaid light.

28. A slicing machine comprising a movable table; a feed plate: a driving motor: signaling means; circuits for said motor and said signaling means: switch means to actuate both of. said circuits simultaneously: and means on said table and feed plate to actuate said switch means.

29. A slicing machine comprising a movable table; a feed plate; a driving motor; signaling means: a circuit for said motor and a circuit for said signaling means: switch means for opening the motor circuit and closing the signaling circuit: and cobperating means on said table and plate for operating said switch means.

-30. A slicing machine comprising a reciprocating table: a feed plate mova le thereon: a driving motor: a signaling light mounted on said machine: circuits for sai motor and light; and means for simultaneousl opening said motor circuit and closing said light circuit when said table and plate have reached their extreme limit of travel adjacent the knife of said machine.

31. In a slicing machine having a movable table and feed plate, means for locking said table when said table and plate have reached certain positions.

32. In a slicing machine having movable table and feed plate. co-operating means on said table and machine to lock said table against movement, and means on said feed plate to move the means on said table into locking position.

In a slicing machine having a movable table and feed plate, a member mounted on said machine, meansmounted on said table arranged to engage said member and to lock said table against movement, and means on said plate for moving t-he means on said table into and out of locking position.

34. In a slicing machine having a movable table and feed plate, a member mounted on said machine, a lever mounted on said table adapted to engage said member and lock said table in its limit of travel, and means on said plate to move said lever into lockin position when said plate has reached its limit of feed.

35. In a slicing machine having a movable table and feed plate. a member mounted on said machine, a lever mounted on said table adapted to engage said member and lock said table in its limit of travel, and means on said plate to move said lever into locking position when said plate has reached its limit of feed and to release said lever when said plate is retracted.

36. A slicing machine comprising a movable table and feed plate: a driving motor and circuit for said machine: signaling means to indicate when said plate has reached its limit of feed: a circuit for said signaling means; switch means for simultaneously closing said motor circuit and opening said signaling circuit; means on said table for actuating said switch means: and means for locking said table in such position.

37. A slicing machine comprising a movable table and feed plate; a driving motor and circuit for said machine; signaling means to indicate when said plate has 'taneously closing said motor circuit and opening said signaling circuit; means on said table and feed plate for actuating said switch means when said table and plate are in their extreme positions of travel; and co-operating means on said machine and table for locking said table in such extreme position. I

38. A slicing machine comprising a. movable tableand'feed plate; a driving motor; a signaling light; circuits for said motor and light; switch. means for closing the motor circuit and opening the light circuit, means on said table and plate for actuating said switch means; means for locking said table in position; means on said plate for .moving said locking means on the table into locking position and out of locking posi 'tion; and a universally movable handle on said plate to retractsaid plate and release said locking means.

39. In a slicing machine having a feed plate, a feed screw-* and halfnut engaging said screw; a universally movable handle operatively connected with said halfnut for conveniently releasing the same and moving dering said driving means inoperative when said material holder reaches a certain posi-' tion with respect to said feed screw.

41. A slicing machine comprising a mov able table and feed plate; signal means mounted on said machine; and means for automatically actuating said signal when said plate has reached its limit of feed.

42. In a slicing machine having a movable table with feed mechanism including a feed plate and driving means for the machine, means actuated by the movement ofsaid feed mechanism on said table for automatically rendering said driving means inoperative. f

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PATRICK J. LUCEY. 

